Kaan Ayhan Sends Türkiye Past USA 3-2 in Stoppage Time

Substitute Kaan Ayhan scored seven minutes into stoppage time to give Türkiye a 3-2 victory over the United States in their final FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California FIFA's tournament name for SoFi Stadium on Thursday, June 25, 2026 local time.

The result ended the USMNT's unbeaten group record, though it changed nothing in the table. The United States had already clinched first place in Group D before kickoff, and Türkiye had already been eliminated after losing its first two matches of the tournament.

How the Goals Fell

Auston Trusty put the United States ahead at 2:13 shown as the third minute finishing from a Sebastian Berhalter delivery. U.S. Soccer recorded it as the second-fastest USMNT goal in World Cup history, behind Clint Dempsey's 30-second strike against Ghana in 2014.

Arda Güler equalized for Türkiye in the 10th minute. Sebastian Berhalter picked up a yellow card in the 19th. Mark McKenzie had a U.S. effort ruled out for offside in the 30th minute.

Türkiye went 2-1 ahead in the 31st minute, though sources disagree on the scorer. FOX Sports and Reuters credit Barış Alper Yılmaz, while U.S. Soccer and AP credit Orkun Kökçü. The FIFA match center remains the authoritative record; readers should treat the attribution as unresolved until FIFA's official event log settles it.

Türkiye led 2-1 at halftime despite the United States controlling possession at 58 percent and outshooting the visitors eight to four, according to U.S. Soccer's halftime data.

Berhalter equalized in the 49th minute, giving him a goal and an assist on the night. U.S. Soccer noted he became the first American player in its post-1966 World Cup records to contribute both in a single match.

Ayhan entered from the bench in the 88th minute. Can Uzun created the chance in the seventh minute of stoppage time, and Ayhan converted to make it 3-2. AP describes the goal as the final kick of the match FOX displays the clock at 90+7.

The U.S. Rotation and Pulisic's Return

Manager Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to the starting lineup that had beaten Australia 2-0 six days earlier. The decision reflected a match in which the group was already won, and four of the first-choice starters Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards, and Antonee Robinson carried yellow-card risk that would have suspended them in the Round of 32 had they been booked again, as AP had reported ahead of the match.

Weston McKennie captained the rotated side and was substituted in the 86th minute. Christian Pulisic, returning from a left calf strain, entered in the 58th minute. Reuters confirmed he had been training ahead of the match and was being eased back into action.

Group D Final Standings

The completed Group D table, calculated from all six verified match results:

Australia rank above Paraguay on goal difference. Türkiye earned their only three points of the tournament in a match that could not alter their elimination. The group table is verified against FIFA's official standings page.

USA's Round-of-32 Fixture

The United States will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 at the San Francisco Bay Area venue in Santa Clara on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. local time, equivalent to 8:00 p.m. ET, according to FIFA's official event listing.

It is Türkiye's third men's World Cup appearance and first since their third-place finish in 2002, while 2026 marks the United States' 12th participation in the tournament.

Where to Watch Highlights and Replays

The live match aired on FOX in English and on Telemundo and Peacock in Spanish, according to U.S. Soccer's official broadcast guide. FOX One was verified as the English-language streaming option. Full-match replays and official highlights are available through FOX Sports and FIFA's match center.